The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-09-03
HINDooS IN TRINIDAD.
Some Fresh Information About an Inter-
esting West Indian Colony.

Some Fresh Information About an inter-
esting West Indian Colony.
There is q vast difference between
tho Trinidad Of the fourteenth century
and the Trinidad of to-day. A travel
er visiting there at the present time
would find on every hand evidences of
the progress of civilization. Landing
at Port-oi-Spain, n city of 35. 900 in
habitants, he would be greeted with
the sight of paved streets, large stores,
imposing cathedrals and attractive
parks, whose fountains sparkling in
the light Of The SUN cool the air. The
Saratoga Of the West Indies is before
him. As he moves toward the inter.
ior the colleges of tho French, Spanish
and English indicate the educational
advantages of the people. Then APP
pears the Governors mansion SUR
rounded by the variegated flowers and
fruit trees of the tropics. Farther on.
as he reaches the summit of a hill, tho
Blue Basin. curious waterfall sixty
feet high. grcets his sight. The water
turns blue as it falls; while at little
distance the pride Of Trinidad. the
botanical garden. displays a kalie-
doscopic view of natures colors.
Beyond are large trees, called the
"bear immortals," planted to protect
the cocoa and coffee trees from the
scorching sun. In November they
shed their leaves and the new leaves
glow with scarlet color. and over and
above all these is seen the picturesque
sky of the tropics, illuminated by the
setting sun. The brilliant exhibition
Of the beauty of nature might cause
one to whisper "Can this be Paradisep"
and repeat the words of Charles Kings.
ley. "This is the earthly Paradise"
Passing through San Fernando, with
its 10. 900, and Princestown, with its
1000 inhabitants, small volcanoes or
cones covering space of 500 feet in
circumference attract attention by their
peculiar bubbling noise. and fifteen
miles away one finds the pitch lake Of
Trinidad. of unknown depth, filled
with strange boiling material. a
phenomenon that has bafflcd the
learning and ingenuity Of scientists to
explain. The lake covers surface OF
two miles in circumference.
Three distinct races are found In
Trinidad the Caucasian, Mongolian
and Negro. The aggregate population
is 155. 900. of whom 55. 900 are Hindoos.
The immigration Of the Hindoos be-
| gan in the year 1915, and is still in
progress. Scarcity of work and low
wages in India induced many to leave
their native country and try their
fortunes on this island, pledging them
selves to five years service under the
coolie system. In India the wages Of
q laboring man is very small; he re-
ceives from two to five cents per day.
But on the island wages are high, and
one receives from forty to sixty cents
per day. Many succeed in making
their fortunes in few years and re-
turn back to India, but large num-
bcr of the immigrants find here perma-
nent homes, and some Of them have
already acquired the ownership OF
shops and plantations Of cocoa, coffee
and sugar
The Hindoos brought with them their
native customs and religion. They
still inflict bodily torture on themselves
in vain expectation of arousing their
sleeping gods to give heed to their
prayers for pardon. Some among
them practice every form of supersti-
ton in the hope of satisfying their
troubled consciences; others are rap
idly adopting the athcistic spirit of
many OF their European neighbors
are casting aside Hindooism to sink
into intidelity. Bat the Hindoos are
prepared to receive the truth. They
are willing to accept any thing that
will help them out of the hopelessness
of their own belief
Twenty years ago the Presbyterian
Church of Nova Scotia sent her frs
Christian missionary to Trinidad. To-
day there are four missionaries and
four female teachers on that island.
There are four churches and forty
schools, with about 1000 pupils, and
more than 400 have been converted
from Hindooism. Buddhism and Mo-
hammedanism. Two native preachers
have been ordained. -Ragbor, in Phil
| 0deLphid Press.